Virtual Worlds, Real Leaders: - IBM

It’s the classic nurture versus nature debate.
Are leaders born or are they made? There are compelling
arguments to be made for both. But even the most die
hard behaviorists would likely agree that by the time an
individual reaches adolescence, leadership potential
is either there, or it’s not.
However a close look at leadership in online games tells
a different story. Using massively multiplayer online games as
a template, it can be argued that leadership is as much a
by-product of environment as it is intrinsic.
Leadership happens quickly and easily in online games,
often undertaken by otherwise reserved players, who surprise
even themselves with their capabilities (see The Need to
Lead, page 18). There is no reason to think that the same
cannot be done in corporate settings of various sizes,
missions, and markets.
However, this is not to say that every person within an
organization can and should lead, but simply that if given
the right tools in the right circumstance, leadership can
emerge. And in working environments that are increasingly
project-oriented, more leaders could yield better effi ciency.
Three of every four players
surveyed in the IBM study Leadership happens quickly and
believe that the techniques easily in online games, often
and approaches found in undertaken by otherwise reserved
online games could enhance players, who surprise even
their leadership effective-
themselves with their capabilities.
ness in the workplace.
So what is it about these gaming environments that
make leaders out of lemmings? For starters, there are many
opportunities to lead. Online games are very iterative.
GIO 2.0 Report
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